"Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
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About the author; Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
Click the link to be directed to Kurt Vonnegut's official web site.
1.Kurt Vonnegut Jr. was born on November 11, 1922 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
2.Kurt Vonnegut Jr. joined the army during World War 2.
3.He was on leave for the army when he found out his mother had committed suicide with sleeping pills.
4.He had 7 children, 3 actual, 4 adopted.
5.He was liberated by Red Army troops in May 1945.
Click the link to be directed to Kurt Vonnegut's official web site.
1.Kurt Vonnegut Jr. was born on November 11, 1922 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
2.Kurt Vonnegut Jr. joined the army during World War 2.
3.He was on leave for the army when he found out his mother had committed suicide with sleeping pills.
4.He had 7 children, 3 actual, 4 adopted.
5.He was liberated by Red Army troops in May 1945.
Pre-reading Reflection
Some ways in which people can be equal or unequal to one another are by luxury, size, race, etc. For example, most rich people are spoiled, and in places like Beverly Hills and Hollywood, you might see a lot of people getting made fun of because they don't have a lot of money. In addition, many people are judged "weak" or "tough" if they are short or tall. You never know when being small can help you, such as when trying to escape from a fight. Also importantly, race is made fun of daily. Back when there was still slavery, only black people would be slaves, and only white people would be allowed to go to certain schools, or do certain things. In summary, people still have much to learn about equality, because why is slavery vowed to be gone when you can still see over 3000 people around the world being held as slaves?
Some ways in which people can be equal or unequal to one another are by luxury, size, race, etc. For example, most rich people are spoiled, and in places like Beverly Hills and Hollywood, you might see a lot of people getting made fun of because they don't have a lot of money. In addition, many people are judged "weak" or "tough" if they are short or tall. You never know when being small can help you, such as when trying to escape from a fight. Also importantly, race is made fun of daily. Back when there was still slavery, only black people would be slaves, and only white people would be allowed to go to certain schools, or do certain things. In summary, people still have much to learn about equality, because why is slavery vowed to be gone when you can still see over 3000 people around the world being held as slaves?
Vocabulary
Vigilance: Being/enforcing the law. "All this equality was due to the 211th, 212th, and 213th Amendments to the Constitution, and to the unceasing vigilance of the agents of the United States Handicapper General." (Pg.13)
Transmitter: A buetooth device for the ear, so that people could not think of sad things, or take an unfair brain advantage. "It was tuned to a government transmitter." (Pg.14)
Abnormal: Not normal/ strange. "He began to think glimmeringly about his abnormal son who was now in jail, about Harrison, but a twenty-one-gun solute in his head stopped that." (Pg.15)
Extraordinary: Amazing. "She must have been extraordinarily beautiful, because the mask she wore was hideous." (Pg.17)
Luminous: Timeless/ elegant. "Her voice was a warm, luminous, timeless melody." (Pg.17)
Hindrances: Ideas/ thoughts. "He had outgrown hindrances faster than the H-G men could think them up." (Pg.17)
Synchronizing: Harmonizing/ matching. "Harrison and his Empress merely listened to the music for a while—listened gravely, as though synchronizing their heartbeats with it." (Pg.19)
Contrasting Ideas
Tragic
1. When people had to wear handicappers and masks to be exactly alike. 2. When George and Hazel's son, Harrison was taken away to jail. 3. When the Handicapper General shoots Harrison and his "Empress" at the ballet. |
Humorous
1. When Harrison calls himself the "Emperor" and selects his "Empress". 2. When the ballet was interrupted to inform that Harrison had escaped from prison, but the person on the news stuttered and messed up. 3. When Hazel hears a noise from George's handicapper, she said "Gee–I could tell that one was a doozy", George said "You could say that again" and Hazel said it again. (Pg.21) |